Data transmission device, medical imaging device and method for transmitting data packets

Abstract

In an example embodiment a data transmission device for transmitting data packets comprises at least one receive interface configured to receive data packets from a respective data source; a respective receive buffer configured to buffer the data packets received via the respective receive interface; a transfer device configured to transfer the data packets from the respective receive buffer to a transmit buffer, the transmit buffer selected for the respective data packet from a plurality of existing transmit buffers; and a respective transmit interface configured to transmit the data packets stored in the respective transmit buffer to a receiving device, wherein the transfer device is configured to transfer the respective data packet from the respective receive buffer into the selected transmit buffer only when an enable condition exists, the enable condition being based on a fill level of one of the transmit buffers other than the selected transmit buffer.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A data transmission device for transmitting data packets, comprising:
 at least one receive interface configured to receive data packets from a respective data source; 
 a respective receive buffer configured to buffer the data packets received via the respective receive interface; 
 a transfer device configured to transfer the data packets from the respective receive buffer to a transmit buffer, the transmit buffer selected for the respective data packet from a plurality of existing transmit buffers; and 
 a respective transmit interface configured to transmit the data packets stored in the respective transmit buffer to a receiving device, wherein the transfer device is configured to transfer the respective data packet from the respective receive buffer into the selected transmit buffer only when an enable condition exists, the enable condition being based on a fill level of one of the transmit buffers other than the selected transmit buffer and a length of the data packet to be transferred to the selected transmit buffer, 
 wherein the fill level indicates a length of a remaining partial data packet or another data packet previously transferred into the one of the transmit buffers other than the selected transmit buffer, the partial data packet has not yet been transmitted via the transmit interface assigned to the one of the transmit buffers other than the selected transmit buffer, and 
 wherein the enable condition exists if the length of the data packet to be transferred to the selected transmit buffer attains or exceeds the length of the partial data packet or a sum of the length of the partial data packet and a predetermined offset value. 
 
     
     
       2. The data transmission device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein, for evaluating the enable condition, the transfer device is configured to consider, as the one of the transmit buffers other than the selected transmit buffer, the transmit buffer into which another data packet has been transferred which was received immediately prior to the data packet to be transferred into the selected transmit buffer. 
     
     
       3. The data transmission device as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein at least one of,
 the receive interface is connected or connectable by wire to the respective data source, or 
 the respective transmit interface is configured for wireless transmission of the respective data packet to the receiving device. 
 
     
     
       4. The data transmission device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein, for evaluating the enable condition, the transfer device is configured to consider, as the one of the transmit buffers other than the selected another transmit buffer, the transmit buffer into which another data packet has been transferred which was received via the same receive interface immediately before the data packet to be transferred to the selected transmit buffer. 
     
     
       5. The data transmission device as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein at least one of,
 the receive interface is connected or connectable by wire to the respective data source, or 
 the respective transmit interface is configured for wireless transmission of the respective data packet to the receiving device. 
 
     
     
       6. The data transmission device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein at least one of,
 the receive interface is connected or connectable by wire to the respective data source, or 
 the respective transmit interface is configured for wireless transmission of the respective data packet to the receiving device. 
 
     
     
       7. The data transmission device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the data transmission device is configured to transmit measurement data of a medical imaging device as data packets. 
     
     
       8. A medical imaging device comprising the data transmission device as claimed in  claim 1 . 
     
     
       9. The medical imaging device as claimed in  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a sensor device, wherein the sensor device is configured to supply data packets to the data transmission device as the data source or via a processing device used as the data source. 
 
     
     
       10. The medical imaging device as claimed in  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a framework movably mounted with respect to a base, the framework incorporating the data source and the data transmission device, wherein the receiving device is fixed relative to the base. 
 
     
     
       11. The medical imaging device as claimed in  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a framework movably mounted with respect to a base, the framework incorporating the data source and the data transmission device, wherein the receiving device is fixed relative to the base. 
 
     
     
       12. The medical imaging device as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein at least one of,
 the medical imaging device is a CT scanner or comprises a CT scanner, 
 a sensor device of the medical imaging device is an X-ray sensor or comprises an X-ray sensor, or 
 the movably mounted framework is a rotatable gantry. 
 
     
     
       13. A method for transmitting data packets, the method comprising:
 receiving data packets from a respective data source; 
 temporarily storing the received data packets in a receive buffer; 
 transferring the data packets from the receive buffer into a transmit buffer selected for the respective data packet from a plurality of existing transmit buffers, wherein the respective data packet is only transferred from the respective receive buffer into the selected transmit buffer if an enable condition exists, the enable condition being based on a fill level of one of the transmit buffers other than the selected transmit buffer and a length of the data packet to be transferred to the selected transmit buffer, wherein the fill level indicates a length of a remaining partial data packet or another data packet previously transferred into the one of the transmit buffers other than the selected transmit buffer, the partial data packet having not yet been transmitted via a transmit interface assigned to the one of the transmit buffers other than the selected transmit buffer, and wherein the enable condition exists if the length of the data packet to be transferred to the selected transmit buffer attains or exceeds the length of the partial data packet or a sum of the length of the partial data packet and a predetermined offset value; and 
 transmitting the data packets stored in the respective transmit buffer to a receiving device by a respective transmit interface assigned to the transmit buffer. 
 
     
     
       14. The method as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein at least one of,
 measurement data of a medical imaging device is transmitted as data packets, 
 data packets are received from the respective data source via a wired connection, or 
 the data packets stored in the respective transmit buffer are transmitted to the receiving device via a wireless connection by the respective transmit interface assigned to the transmit buffer. 
 
     
     
       15. A non-transitory computer readable medium, comprising instructions, during the execution of which data packets are transferred by a transfer device from a receive buffer to a transmit buffer selected for the respective data packet from a plurality of existing transmit buffers wherein transfer of the respective data packet from the respective receive buffer into the selected transmit buffer takes place only if an enable condition exists, the enable condition being based on a fill level of one of the transmit buffers other than the selected transmit buffer and a length of the data packet to be transferred to the selected transmit buffer,
 wherein the fill level indicates a length of a remaining partial data packet or another data packet previously transferred into the one of the transmit buffers other than the selected transmit buffer, the partial data packet having not yet been transmitted via a transmit interface assigned to the one of the transmit buffers other than the selected transmit buffer, and 
 wherein the enable condition exists if the length of the data packet to be transferred to the selected transmit buffer attains or exceeds the length of the partial data packet or a sum of the length of the partial data packet and a predetermined offset value.